In the 1940's a young jewish-american psychology intern had a leap of insight. He realised that reductionist models of the human psyche went nowhere in explaining culture.
He realised that much of what people do is not directed to satisfying their immediate, physical needs, but rather to other, non-physical ends.
As a result, he started a new direction in psychology, focussing on "wellness", and what makes people more human, hence "Humanistic Psychology".
This was in stark contrast with previous giants such as Freud and his disciples, who had dealt mainly with mental pathology.
A holistic view of humanity can be traced back to the ancient Greeks, in whose gymnasiums you would study philosophy, art, music, athletics and health. Nonetheless, the revival of this idea was a potent force, and still serves as an anodyne to many of the self-destructive ideas which gained currency in the 20c.
" Are some cultures better than others? Or are all cultures and their values equal? "
In my classes you will often hear me say:
"West is the best... because I've tried the rest!"
That's a provocative statement, and it's meant to be. It's meant to get you thinking. "What is he talking about?". "Is he serious?". "Can one culture be 'better' than others?" "Isn't that a racist idea?".
The answer to the last is, no, not at all. Don't confuse ethnicity with culture. Culture is the ideas that bind us together, not the colour of our skin.
In this short video the bestselling author Dinesh D'Souza, explains the fraud of multiculturalism.
"We write symphonies. We pursue innovation… We treasure the rule of law and protect the right to free speech and free expression… We empower women as pillars of our society and of our success… That is who we are… Those are the priceless ties that bind us together… as a civilization."
- U.S. President Donald Trump, Warsaw, Poland, 2017.
